Maintaining Quality of Fresh‐cut Tomato Slices through Modified Atmosphere Packaging and Low Temperature Storage

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Quality of fresh‐cut tomato slices was compared during cold storage under various modified atmosphere packaging conditions. Chilling injury of slices in containers sealed with Film A was higher than with Film B; these films had oxygen transmission rates of 87.4 and 60.0 ml · h ‐1 · m ‐2 · atm ‐1 at 5 °C and 99% RH, respectively. While slices in containers with an initial atmospheric composition of air, 4% CO 2 + 1 or 20% O 2 , 8% CO 2 + 1 or 20% O 2 , or 12% CO 2 + 20% O 2 showed fungal growth, slices in containers with 12% CO 2 + 1% O 2 did not. Low ethylene in containers enhanced chilling injury. Modified atmosphere packaging provided good quality tomato slices with a shelf life of 2 w or more at 5 °C.